We have had a busy year here at Satcom Direct, as we continued focusing on developing the final piece of our connectivity jigsaw puzzle. The first in the series of our groundbreaking Satcom Direct Plane Simple™ Antenna systems has moved from vision to reality, with a major waypoint reached in October. A series of transatlantic validation flights on our Satcom Direct Gulfstream G350, demonstrated that the tail-mounted antenna system performed above and beyond expectations. Importantly it proved compatibility with the Intelsat FlexExec satellite network. During sixteen hours of flight time the beam transmission from the satellite network was flawless as 29GB of data was transmitted to multiple onboard devices. That’s a major achievement for a project we announced less than two years ago.
This first antenna system has been designed to deliver connectivity through the multi-layered, redundant, high-throughput, Intelsat FlexExec satellite network. This Ku-band variant will be joined by a Ka-band variant, and subsequently a flat panel fuselage mounted antenna, which will bring powerful connectivity to smaller aircraft.
As this letter goes to press, I am also delighted to confirm that following months of diligent testing and optimization, this initial antenna has been officially qualified on the Intelsat FlexExec network. This is good news for our customers, as it is the only dedicated satcom solution designed exclusively for business aviation operators. SD develops products, from the ground up, that are designed for the unique needs of business aviation, and we are pleased to partner with a satellite company mirroring that commitment.
We have spent the last twenty-four years developing a connectivity offering that delivers industry leading services, around the globe, to an elite set of private, corporate, government and military customers. We started with simply figuring out the connectivity and its administration, before developing software to support communications, and subsequently flight operations. We acquired ground stations to manage the terrestrial transmissions, built a state-of-the-art data centre to keep data secure, and acquired a manufacturing facility so we could produce our own hardware that distributes powerful broadband to multiple devices and users in-flight.
But it is only now through our antenna development program, and our master distributor relationship with Intelsat FlexExec, that we have successfully created end-to-end, seamless connectivity. This simplifies connectivity acquisition, streamlines upgrades, and most significantly positions Satcom Direct as a single point of contact for all connectivity matters. One call to SD can satisfy all connectivity requirements. These are our first steps on our Plane Simple journey, and there are many more to come, which we look forward to sharing with you.
And to that end we are thrilled to confirm that we will once again be hosting our popular Connecting with Customers seminar, in person for 2022. From 15 to 18 February, we are inviting clients, partners, colleagues and keynote speakers to our now famous customer appreciation and technical training event. The immersive experience is designed to share updates about our evolving technology, how it is affecting our sector, and what you need to know to stay ahead of the technology curve. In addition to our briefings, practical sessions, educational workshops, and networking lunches, we’ll be offering tours of our expanding state-of-the-art purpose-built headquarters in Melbourne, Fl., and as always, we’ll incorporate a lot of fun along the way.
As a technology business SD is constantly forward thinking, and as the digitization of aviation continues to advance, we want to continue delivering you connectivity beyond all your expectations. I look forward to seeing you in 2022. Until then, keep safe, well and connected.
Sincerely,
Jim Jensen
Chairman and CEO
